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Java

Posted by Geocarlos Alves
Geocarlos Alves
13,969 Points

Call Center Challenge - Java Data Structures - Assist method call

LInk: https://teamtreehouse.com/library/java-data-structures/efficiency/call-center-queue

I cannot figure out what is wrong. The instructions say no other part of the code should be changed. I call the assist() method, I see its output on the preview, but even so I keep getting this 'Bummer' message:

"Bummer! Did you remember to call the assist method on the CustomerSupportRep?"

Can anybody help me spot what I've done wrong or is this challenge actually bugged?

Thanks.

Balazs Peak
Balazs Peak
46,160 Points

Can I ask you to paste in the code you've wrote?

Geocarlos Alves
Geocarlos Alves
13,969 Points

Thanks for replying.

After some rest, I came back to the computer and figured it out.

The instructions is: " /******************************************** * TODO (1) * Wait until there is an available rep in the queue. * While there is not one available, playHoldMusic * HINT: That while assignmentcheck loop syntax we used to * read files seems pretty similar ******************************************** */"

And I had done this:

while(mSupportReps.poll()){ playHoldMusic(); }

and later, this:

csr = new CustomerSupportRep("James");

Whereas it should be this:

while(mSupportReps.isEmpty()){ playHoldMusic(); mSupportReps.add(new CustomerSupportRep("James")); }

csr = mSupportReps.poll(); csr.assist(customer);

However, the bummer message is misleading, as it keeps referring to the assist method, when my problem was in the loop.

Thanks again.

~ Geo

1 Answer

Balazs Peak
Balazs Peak
46,160 Points

you are most welcome. You have figured it out on your own - that is the best case scenario, because you've learned the most from it.

A lot of times, the "Bummer" messages are not exactly appropriate. Please note, that the technologies involved (processing regular expressions and machine learning) are a higher level of software development and are still very much evolving :)

Using treehouse for a while now, I already know with more than 80% certainty when the Bummer message is trying to bring me in a good or bad direction. You can learn a lot from good software, and you can learn even more from bugs, sometimes :)